Weight analyzer



April 17, 1945. K. J. K RAUSQ WEIGHT ANALYZER Filed Nov. *5; 1942mmu'uluu 1 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 K. J. KRAUS 2,374,105

WEIGHT ANALYZER Filed Nov., 5, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 WWI /WI! quam-April 17, 1945.

K. J. KRAUS 2,374,105

WEIGHT ANALYZER Filed Ndv, 5, 1942 s Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Apr. 17,1945 2,374,105 w 'I-WEIGHTYANALYZER EKarPJ';Kraus,Mobile,' la. I 'xttscamntwsbe; 5,1942, Serial Nanette;

. This, invention relates: 130:; weighing, apparatus andmethod for thedetection, and; diagnosis, by weightmeasurementpof abnormalitie ordeforms ities; in, the human. physique especially as affect-- ving theposture and sense of balance.v

More; particularly. the inventionis. directed to a weighing scale havinga plurality of weightbearing platforms and:respective'indicating dialsfor registeringindividuallytheweight carried. by

the. balland-heel of each ioot, as-well as thetotal weight; of. a.person standing upon. the platforms. I

TheJappa-ratus is designedprimarily for. use by physicians. in.detecting hidden deformitie in.

bone. structure, abnormal habits of posture, organic. disorders andtesting. the sense of. balance.

Briefly it is the concept of the.v invention. to; provide. apparatus tosustainthe body either. in a stabilized guided standing position or inuh. stabilizedif'ree standing. position upon. four weight indicating,platforms coinciding with the. ball. and heelof each foot. fordeterminingthe weight ,c'ar

ried by each part. By indicatingtheweight'.dis: tribution in astabilized and guided standing posi tiom. the instrument indicateseither, ajnormal or,

abnormal posture; and'utilizedin a free standing.

or unstabilized mannerthe instrument serves as an indicator of the senseoibal'ance.

anfinstrument' for gauging the sense. of

balance or" equilibrium. the apparatus records orv registers thecharacter and degree of fluctuation of-weightdistribution oi thesubject. standing. upo-rrtheplatforms. A's. sucl'i'fit. provides an ac-1m e ise, p rmitting asci'entific. measurement ofthesens'e ofequilibrium otherwise. 'diflicultto, ascertain. Such. tests. are oivalue, in examining prospective flyers testing for intoxication and in.the fieldof medicine. for. generaljdiagnosis, f

Various" disorders, pain, and. distress. may be traced to abnormal"posture. conditions, the locationofthe pain often beingire'mote from thecon di'ti'on causingit, thuspresenting a. diflicultproblem of diagnosis..As an example. a patient may nknfiwin' ly have one, leg slightl shorterthan,v

thexother and: complainofipai'ninthe region. of.

therstomaoh by reason oifdistortion .oi thspelvic,

structure. Ordinary metlrjrods would; faiL to. dis.-

close vthis.condita' on unless. the. physician hap.-

pened to. take, measurements.

using the'present apparatus the. condition. is indicatedjandi the;physician. enabled. to prescribe the :proper remedy such asv orthopedicshoeshaying raised soIeIor. heel; asthecasemay.

require,

"The. scale is-premrably utilized. in conjunction.

with standardizationchartsindicating 'the 'vyei'ght.

. distribution of. normalipersons: or given weight inorder to guidethe/operator; in. detecting abnormalities and. toindicate: the-degreethereof,

In: order to, more-accuratelydetermine, the weight distribution thescaleis provided with fixtures .for. positioning the body in a-correot normalposture- Any abnormality will; then register on the indicators becausethebody willbethrown off balance. and. even. weight. distribution.disturbed,

25 slight fluctuations, while those less gifted show greaterfluctuations. The amplitude of'th'e fiuc'-' tuations: or variationsfurnishes: a reliable index of" the fitnessof' the candidate asto thesenseof' balance, otherwise difllcultto: determine with any so; degreeof accuracy.

Itistheiieforegam obj ect of: the invention: to provide: a device:foriindicating abnormal. body: orp stureconditions; by? measuring the:weight distribution I of the; feet .whi-lezthe body is maintained:

in. a. stacin a condition of correct normal posture bilized standingposition. 1 i

It. is; another; object to 'provide; a; device: for? do:-

tecting abnormal body conditions-by the provision of weight distributionand total weight indicating. mechanism for comparison with predeterminednormal. readings to indicate; the-location and degree-0t disorders:

it a

pable 01; quickly-and: accurately registering i1:-

regularities of 13051311158301 physicalstructure, per,. mittingt a.rapid: and comprehensive examination ofI-thephysique.

g tribution scale-having msitioningfixtures which serve toi-maintaintaisymmetrical standing posture and stabiliz the.iperson..-beingexamined-tIt is a further object to provide-a device for determining. and:measuring the inherent sense of balance or equilibrium. of persons by.the proparatus may be operated by lay persons or by a The apparatusis'adaptable for testing thesense It isstill another. object ontheinven-tion to providea-weight, distribution: indicating device, ca-

It is.- a further object to providea. weight dis- Figure 3 is a top planview of the scale illustrating the position of the feet in dot and dashlines with respect to the platforms.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the scale partially insection illustrating the weight indicating mechanism.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 Figure 4, furtherillustrating the indicating mechanism and the lever arrangement foractuating the total weight indicating dial.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 Figure 4, illustratingthe weight sustaining platform and lever arrangement.

Figure '7 is a sectional view taken on line 'I 1, Figure 6, furtherillustrating the scale platforms. Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentaryview of the upper portion of the scale illustrating the reading face ofthe scale.

Referring specifically to the drawings especially to Figures 1, 2 and 3,the weight distribution scale as illustrated in general comprises a baseI, having a set of four scale platforms 2, mounted thereon for engagingrespectively the ball and heel of each foot. These platforms areappropriately poised upon a system of fulcrumed levers which in turnconnect to respective reading dials mounted at the upper portion of avertical standard 3, extending from the base I. The standard ispreferably of a height to dispose the dials approximately at the eyelevel of the average person for convenience in reading the dials.

In the present instance the dials are shown facing the person on thescale platform. However, it is contemplated in some instances to arrangethem to face the opposite side of the standard for the convenience ofthe person making the tests.

The base I and standard 3 may be fabricated of sheet metal forlightness, ormay follow any commercial practice, since the detailedstructure of these parts is not essential to the present invention.

The organization includes a set of fixtures for appropriatelypositioning the body in approxi mately correct posture. These fixturescomprise a guide bracket 4, mounted upon the base, for positioning thefeet correctly; a pair of side rails 5--5 appropriately spaced toreceive-the body therebetween and maintain a correct vertical positiontransversely, and a horizontal cross rail or spacer 6, mounted on theside rails, to maintain the posture correctly in forward and rearward orlongitudinal direction. The side rails 5-5 serve also as hand rails, andif desired, they may be arranged for widthwise adjustment to permit thespacing to be varied to suit various persons. This is accomplished bythe set screws 5 6a which clamp the rails 5 to the cross rail 6, therails 5 being hingedly mounted at the base as at So for this purpose.

The guide bracket 4 for the feet comprises a rail, preferably of onepiece and bent generally in the shape of an M, providing a pair ofspaced converging or V shaped rails for engaging the legs just above theankles and centering the feet upon the platforms with the balls andheels resting upon the respective platforms. (See Figure 3.) The wedgingaction of the V shaped bends serves to center or gauge the legslaterally as well as to dispose the feet inwardly the proper distancefor accurate weighing. It will be noted that the V bends permit thethinner legs of a smaller person or child to move inwardly further thanthose of the larger, in order to position the relatively smaller feet atapproximately the same relative position upon the platform as thelarger. This avoids the possibility of the weight being concentratedupon the forward or heel-bearing platforms with a consequent inaccurateweight distribution reading.

The guide bracket 4 includes a pair of vertical standards 1-! as a partthereof. The standards are of a length to dispose the gauge portion atan appropriate distance above the platforms.

The lower ends of the extensions or standardsmay be secured to the baseI of the scale in any well known manner.

A separator 8 is located longitudinally between the right and left setsof platforms and is secured to the base I. The separator is in the formof a rib, generally semi-circular in cross section, and taperedlongitudinally with its widest portion inwardly or toward the verticalstandard 3 of the scale. The separator is designed to lie between thefeet with the wide portion between the balls of the feet causing thefeet to be positioned posture with the feet spaced and disposed in a.

natural manner and properly located upon the platforms. This aids ineffecting an accurate scale reading. Since a normalperson standing.

erect will carry his weight proportionately distributed within knownlimits, the guide fixtures reduce possible deviation and error byinducing an erect posture. Should the person have some structural orhabitual abnormality, the guide fixtures, by inducing a normal erectposture, cause a disarrangement of the weight distribution withconsequent registration on the scale.

Ordinarily a person having some structural or habitual postureabnormality distorts his body in a direction or manner necessary toapproximately maintain a balanced distribution. For example, a personwith one leg slightly shorter may twist slightly the hips or trunk' tocompensate. Normally he will maintain a fairly even distribution ofweight. The guide fixtures by inducing a symmetrical erect postureproduce a disarrangement.

body and help maintain the equilibrium. This prevents excessivevariations in the reading because in maintaining balance in a standingposition, the weight is shifted about instinctively, unless some meansare provided to prevent this.

4 allfour. for a given; degree of, movement of;

I as'zaros Referring tolerance s m a on: the in I construction of?the'severall plati'brmsbelng idem tical, a desoriptiomofioneofthenri-ssumcfent.

Each: scale plattbrml includes a; of duplicate U shapech brackets m,secured v tow itsmnderside, the brackets depending downwardlywith theirlower ends lying; adjacent tolthesuppev ends ofi the: brackelffi llll.'& setwot' film" leversylt l sun the: platform, each lever having-it'souter end; pivoted: or: mlcrumed upon: one of the upper ends. of:thebnackets I2 asuatt t5. i'l're-scale platffjornt brackets t3, makes apivotal connection to the: respective levers; Ml alongside the. fulcrumpoint, I 5: asat. km,- and thus support-the plattonm;at:opnesiteiendsnupon thaset ofl'levers.

The; inward. free: ends: at the;- levers: lAmee-t. a, f at common centerandijare pivotall'y joined as at 16 to a link. [1, one for each side oftheaplatfbrmi The; lower opposite end. 012?. the MC pivoted as at, Mttitan: actuating? 119; which in fsfuicrmned; at one: end; upom onevotthe; U: shaped support bnackets'. BL. Thev opposites tree end; of? thebeam; is! makes as mzonnection to; oneof the. reading". scales by:meansicfif a; cnnnecting-v mod on:- wire Zllihookeditc aipirn 21;. attheendioiftheibeami The: severah must-points; connecting the lever:

arrangement are: pneienahly made;- bio-amenaof; rods 25! of. srtuareC2685? section. are. turned, so that, are presentedz'tm the bearing:apertures: 22m. therehtv bonstitutinga a knife edge support to reduce.to; alminik muim. v

'IZhe leverarrangement;tnansmitsthefnrcesam base and abnueztheimnn' hemIt.

holdsithe" beams in La commomplane and fa.-

cllttateszsehtlnm up; on adiusting: and maintaining the! indicatingdials at; a zero; setting; The nod; mam heipromiiedwithshoclcahsorhingmeanszsuchz 331,3133)!!!" washers: or the. likezlfi desired.

'llhea-scale ln theipnesentl instance iSa. at the;

conntenweighix tmlfia. as: illustrated;v The:- reading:

dials generallyindicated at 23 are located in the:

ummem portiom at: the scale standatdfisupnorted onMiandzpmferablmi'oumalledaon antic frictihmbearingst 'Ehe dials arefiveinumben one. respectwehrfoneach ottheafour platfonns'ianda azfiithsdi'ahindinatingmhe tctalaweight.

dialscanmrises a. huh 2.5;. ioumalied.

a; shaft. wcannied the bracket. 24,: The: near thezhuln includes; an:arcuate; ales which isadisnosed, a fiexiblerihhom 2% pnefemhlw of;metal; the. upper ends'of which is anchored, to the; sector by means oila: .2 a,

The; ribbon lies upon; the; periphery of the; sector arrd; its; humanand commotion with the up per endiof afhnesaicb connecting: on wine;20s,, of thmaotliatinggbaann ('seeiflfigureawk 4 1 The reading scale ordial; is; carried; bmthe huh; 2.5: and; comprises: an amnazte. sector:or rim in the: present instances, approximately malinutithezaxismfftheshuhc 'Ill1e2outler:orre'adE- ing: time; oftherimis; graduated. impounds; prefix erably" from it to; 75c The? aim".is; secured to: the hulr by a: pair oi. spokes v or: nods M the. lowerof" whichlcarriemaiceunter weight- 3z slidahlyr mount;

edzthereomr Yilhe counterweight-includes; a set pliedltdthe platiormc tothe link: 1:1, which; is: 1

common; to: the mun levers: and which turn; transmits, the: force to:the. beam: [8; Since: the:

glatiorm is supported auopnositel endsvunomthelevers,- l 4. the lasersserver to: equalize movementof, the plattormzi in: other words all. fourlevers; more:simultaneousliabeinghennected.infcemmon;.'llhis-preventsltipning o ig'the platform anduinsures; an accurateweightindication indenendent". of: its. point. of. agglicatiozr. on.ther'platfomr sqthat; the; platforms are adagtabletovariousrshoesizeswith: accuratev nesults. s

It willbev noted; that.- aetuatinzz beams for the. forward or, heelplatforms are. considerably longer thanc the, beams connecting thetearywardoi: ball platforms In order tolcompensate for. thisdifierencein levenage, the platformibraclga eta 1,3, for the forward.platforms are. set closer together,, thereby increasing the, leverage ofthe, setqtconnectinglerers Itsufilciently to compenssate for thedecrease in leverage; of; the; longen beams. The, movement, oithe tour;beams at; their. inner or; free. endsris, thereiore thesame. flirthe:cale a stem is grorrlded; greiembly; in the:

form of a cross rod: We; exbendinrgachcss the:

screw'flawhiclrapenmits the nenessary'adfiustment; ofi the'countenweightszinsetting? up the scale.

a; load: is; placedupon. the.- platfiomisa the;

actuating: beams swing: downwardly; causing the reading diah tsrevolveupon; its: axis, thereby swinging the counterweight an arc":upwardly as shown in dot dash lines Figure 4-i The crow ate sectcnelements, it; provid'e' fora constant ratio betweem incitement; ot"thebeam I 9 amd' rrrovementv of; graduated indicating rim; thistogetherwitlr. the pmgressiye i'ncreasein counter weight: efliect astheedial swingsupwavdly; permits a uni f-mzm; onlinear spacingv of thegraduationsorr thereading face-ofitherimand providesan accurate directacting arrangement.

- In: order" to actuate the tiotal weight reading dlal'; or scale 3E,acompound lever equalizing; ar-' nangement, indicated. generally at 353is utilized? (See Figures 4: and 5.)' Described in detail'the equalizer:on tot'ael'lzer comprises a series of four connecting links 36 one foreach-of the connectingrnod'sszfl; the-I inlt connected atoppositeendsthe: lower. end: of cache link being pivotallgr con--nectedtos'the cross levers 3 at'a point-centrally thereof; The upper"ends of-the connecting links; Zlflfimehea: pivotal connectiontmtheopposite ends 01$ a: secondary: cross" lever disposed ahovetheh'l'zm. A, pimtah connection is made at: a point centrally-of. thesecondarycrossrl'ever 39 to as. connecting nodfzi 20m. the upper end ofis; connected. to the total,- weight" indicating dial. in: time same;manner as 1 previouslydescribed? ionthe reacllngidia'lsizl;

The: equalizer actuates: the; total: weight die-ll by! compounding thedifienential' mailcinemas:bf

By way of illustrating the equalizer action, as-' sume that a weight ofone hundred pounds is concentrated on the right heel platform with noweight on the remaining three platforms. This would move the right handconnecting rod and dial a suficient distance to register one hundred'pounds, and no movement of the other three connecting rods and dials.This movement would be reduced one-half by the equalizer cross lever 31,and this degree of movement again reduced by half by the secondary croslever 39, thus movingthe intermediate connecting rod and total dial adistance of one-fourth the individual dial. Consequently both dialswould register one hundred pounds because of the four to one ratiobetween the graduations of the two.

i If the hundred pound weight were evenly distributed, twenty-fivepounds on each of the four platforms, the equalizer would move the totaldial the same linear distance as the four individual dials because therewould be no differential in the four rod movements. In this case thetotal dial would again register one hundred pounds, because of the ratioof the graduations; the individual dials would of course registertwenty-five pounds each. The above theoretical conditions are intendedfor illustration only; ordinarily all four rods and dials are actuatedvarying degrees, the equalizer swinging or indexing the total dial to aweight-reading equal to the sum of the four individual dials.

If desired, the total dial may he graduated in a one to one ratio, withthe individual dials, in which case its arc of swing would be increasedproportionately. This could be accomplished by reducing the radius ofthe arcuate sector element 21 to one-four the radius of the others, thusin-' creasingits swing to four times that of the individual dials.

As shown in Figure 8 the five reading dials are arranged preferably withthe totalizer located at the center intermediate of the right and leftheel and ball dials. The reading face of the dials is viewed through anaperture in the scale standard, disposed either to the front or rear asthe case may require. If desired a rectangular magnifying glass 40, maybe placed in the aperture to facilitate reading the dials. Appropriatelabels are disposed adjacent the respective dials to identify thereadings, and a reference line is properly arranged for indexing thesame.

The leverage between the respective scale platforms 2 and the beams I9is substantially equal for all four platforms. For instance the leveragemay be twenty to one, that is, a load of twenty poundsupon the platformimposes a one-pound load at the end of the beam l9, this ratio beingequal for each platform and dial and causing each beam to swingdownwardly a distance. proportionate to the load on the platform." Thecounterweights 32 on the respectiveiindi' eating dials, beingadjustable, isset to counterbalance its respective platform; therefore-agiven load upon one of the platforms exerts a proportionatepull upon-theconnecting rods or wires 20 andthis force resisted by the counterweights,

1 that a weight scale is more accurate than so that the calibrated dialregisters the correct weight imposed upon the platform 1 If desired,springs may be substituted for the counterweights, although it isgenerally accepted tuated by springs. I

As disclosed in the drawings and specifications," the mechanismrepresents a preferred embodiment of the invention. However, variousmodifications and alterations may be made as to the details ofconstruction and operation without departing from the essence of theinvention.

Having described my invention, I desire to be limited only by thefollowing claims.

Iclaim:.-- 1 1. An apparatus for indicating the weight distribution ofthe human body comprising: a plurality ofcounter balanced weightsustaining platforms for each foot respectively,-a respective indicatingdevice associated with each of said platforms for indicating the weightimposed thereon individually, and a total weight indicating deviceincluding a system of totalizing levers associated with all of saidplatforms in common and arranged to actuate said device for indicatingthe total weight imposed on said platforms collectively.

2. An apparatusfor indicating the weight distribution and total weightof the human body in a standing position comprising: a plurality ofcounterbalanced weight sustaining platforms for, each foot respectively,a respective weight indicating device connected to each of saidplatforms for indicating the weight imposed thereon individually, aplurality of totalizing levers connected to all of said platforms incommon, and a counterbalanced total weight indicating device connectedto said totalizing levers and adapted to indicatethe' total weightimposed upon the platforms collectively. a

3. An apparatus for indicating abnormalities of structure or posture inthe human body comprising: a plurality of scale platforms and respectiveweight indicating dials, said platforms arranged to receive the ball andheel of each foot respectively for indicating the weight imposed by eachpart, a gauge fixture disposed above said platforms at a height toengage the legs and locate the feet in apredetermined position relativeto said platform saidfixture comprising a pair of guides open at thefront and converging towards the rear of said'platform', and a secondgauge fixture disposed above the first said-fixture comprising a. pairof side rails and a cross railand adapted to engage the'front and sidesof the tomato maintain the body in a stabilized normal standing positionupon said platforms.

4. An apparatus for indicating the weight distribution of the human bodycomprising: a plurality of vertically movable weight sustainingplatforms, one for the ball and heel of each foot respectively, acounterbalance respectively associated with each of said platforms forsustaining the same against the weight imposed thereon, a respectiveindicating device associated with each of said platforms for indicatingthe weight imposed thereon individually," a counterbalanced total weightindicating device a plurality of totalizing levers connected ih'commonwith all of said platforms and connected to said total Weight indicatingdevice for indicating the total weight imposed thereon col-lectively,and body positioning fixtures associated with said platforms to locatethe body i a predetermined posi-.

tion with respectto said platforms.-"

5. A weighing scale for clinical purposes comprising a. base, and apedestal, a plurality of counterbalanced scale platformsdisposed uponsaid base, said platforms arranged to receive the ball and heel of eachfoot separately, respective reading dials, one for each of saidplatformscounterbalanced to a pair of said weight sustaining platformsand each of said levers pivotally connected centrally to a maintotalizing lever at respective opposite ends thereof, said mainleverpivotally connected centrally to said total weight indicatingdevice to actuate the same.

7. In an apparatus having a plurality of weight-sustaining platforms,respective weight indicating devices associated with said platiorlmsrespectively for indicating the weight imposed thereon individually anda counterbalanced total weight indicating device for indicating theweight imposed on said platforms collectively, a totalizing device foractuating said total weight indicating device comprising; a plurality ofbeams, one of said beams I pivotally suspended centrally from said totalweight-sustaining platforms, respective indicating devices associatedtherewith for indicating the weight imposed on said platformsindividually, and a total weight indicating device for indicating thetotal weight imposed, on said platforms collectively, a totalizingdevice comprising; a a

plurality of totalizing levers, each lever having its respectiveopposite ends pivotally connected weight indicating device and having apair. of secondary beams pivotally suspended centrally from said beam atrespective opposite ends thereof, said pair of secondary beams havingtheir respective opposite ends pivotally connected respectively to saidweight sustaining platforms for actuation thereby.

KARL J. KRAUS.

